It might be the number one aspiration of the masses but travel is an undeniably dangerous pursuit. Illness, misadventure, terrorism, detainment or natural disaster; all these fates lurk in the shadows for the foolhardy or just plain unfortunate traveller. And for geographically isolated Australians, who have a well established wanderlust, these threats are especially pertinent.

The numbers speak for themselves. In its 2012-2013 annual report the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) stated that it assisted 11,927 Australians in difficulty overseas. Of those, 1479 were arrested or imprisoned and 1372 were hospitalised. Grimmer still, assistance was provided to the families of 1247 Australians who died overseas. And these are just the cases the department is aware of.

Over the last decade Van Nguyen, Michelle Leslie and the recently paroled Schapelle Corby have become cause celebres; their high profile tales of woe serving as cautionary episodes for other travellers. But Australians will continue to depart in steady numbers and many yet will encounter difficulties overseas.

Which brings us to the curious interplay between competing interests that exists in the travel industry. It’s a collision of interests that becomes especially fascinating when a trouble spot destination binds them all together. 

Firstly, take the generic traveller who harbours ambitions of visiting a foreign country. It might be Egypt, a fitting example in the present climate. It’s a bucket list destination with highly accessible antiquities, but it’s also a country wracked by civil strife dating back to the Arab Spring of 2011. 

DFAT, however, via its Smartraveller website (www.smartraveller.gov.au) advises Australian travellers that the decision to visit Egypt should be reconsidered. 

Then there are the tour operators, whose own profits are driven by the number of clients they book. They are, of course, also binded by a need to provide a duty of care to these clients. 

Lastly there’s the travel agent, situated somewhere in the middle and upon whose advice many travellers depend when planning their holidays.

A fine mess, but for travel agents one thing is clear; being educated on the facts is the best provision for discharging their duty. And the man who heads up the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA), Jayson Westbury, is firmly of the view that the best travel consultants are those who are not only aware of Smartraveller's website, but actively pass on its recommendations.

“AFTA has been involved with the Smartraveller program since its launch. We highly recommend to travel agents that they use this service as a valuable resource,” Westbury said.

There is a further reason agents can take confidence in Smartraveller. Westbury is also a participant in the Smartraveller Consultative Group, a sounding board to DFAT on the current and future course of the Smartraveller service, meaning that, to a degree, the wider interests of travel agents will be an ongoing consideration for DFAT. 

“AFTA works constantly with DFAT to ensure that Smartraveller delivers for both travellers and travel agents via the open consultation process we are involved with. AFTA will continue to work with DFAT to ensure it remains relevant,” Westbury said.

An understanding of tour operators’ modus operandi is another weapon in the armoury of the elite travel consultant. 

Take Peregrine Adventures. The company which focuses on diverse and often lesser-visited cultural destinations has recently launched a 15-day tour of Algeria, a destination Smartraveller advises Australians to reconsider their need to travel to. Indeed, the border regions of the country are listed as “do not travel” zones, the sternest of the outlet’s four advisories.

Despite this, Peregrine Adventures general manager Steve Wroe is confident that clients can book without trepidation. “The safety of our travellers is always our top priority. We would never travel to areas in Algeria or any other country that we believe to be risky and unsafe for our travellers and our staff,” he said. 

Recent terrorist activity in the country, particularly its fringes, where an attack on a gas facility in January last year killed 37 foreign workers, is also being monitored by the company. 

“The attack on the oil facility at In Amenas was planned because of its isolation. Peregrine’s itinerary stays well away from these areas. We have spoken at length with our local operator who is keeping a close eye on events. We have determined that the areas in Algeria in which we operate our trips are currently considered to be trouble-free for foreign travellers.” The message to agents who are unsure of recommending a destination seems clear cut: if in doubt, go to the source and state your concerns.

Another voice is the Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO), who like AFTA, is also a participant in the Smartraveller Consultative Group. Its general manager Peter Baily is an advocate of Smartraveller, but states that travel agents need to be aware of the context surrounding its advisories.

“For the 'reconsider your need to travel' category, people need to bear in mind that the DFAT information is not target marketed. As a government agency, its information must be suitable for all types of travellers to a particular destination – this includes backpackers, the friends visiting relatives market and other independent travellers. The risk profile of these types of travellers is vastly different from tour group visitors, as well as organised independent travel,” Baily said.

Baily also raises another issue that Peregrine’s Wroe alludes to regarding his company’s Algeria itinerary. 

“[Smartraveller's] warnings are usually applied to the whole country, but a careful reading of the advisory often points solely to a particular region, and not the entire country,” Baily said.

The lesson here? Agents clearly can benefit when well aware of Smartraveller's warnings and the standpoints of tour operators and wholesalers. But a willingness to make further inquiries when booking clients to troubled destinations might be an even better approach.

Travel’s attendant dangers will stay with us, as will the hordes of Australian tourists departing each year; what can always improve is an agent’s ability to pass on the best advice.